We live
by Claude Amelia Song
Summary: Sometimes, even Death, needs a friend to remind him to live.


Wizarding World News Round 2

Ilvermorny

Year 5

Writing School: Dialogue Tags and Actions beats

**The Tale of the Three Brothers** – _[Character] Death_

Word count: 830

* * *

Hogwarts was in ruins and darkness was everywhere. It was the utmost image of destruction and despair.

A sole dark shadow could be seen walking on the edge of the lake, a cloaked figure under the pale moonlight.

"D, what exactly are _you_ doing here?" came a feminine voice from the opposite side. There stood a girl who looked too young to be in such a place of horror, and yet, her eyes were older than one could have imagined. "I thought you finished your job in this world."

"I came to reminisce my dear Hermione, just as I suppose you did."

The girl nodded.

"It's sad to see such a sight. But in the end, they fought valiantly. Hogwarts will rise again. It always does," she said and tilted her head to look at what remained of the beautiful castle.

"I suppose that's true." The figure's voice however wasn't that convincing.

"D, hey, don't do that! It's not your fault," the girl tried to sooth him.

"It is not? I bring despair whenever I come and I face hate wherever I go. It is only natural, but…"

"Still hurts?" and with that she started walking faster until they were face to face.

Her companion, however, didn't answer, but he didn't have to. She understood him very well. "Please, don't blame yourself. It _is not _your fault."

"Isn't it? I am Death! I took away hundreds of souls from here and many other places. Hermione, what are you doing here?"

The girl chuckled. "D, as you said, you _are Death_. This is what you do. And it isn't your fault. And I am pretty sure these people do not blame you, but rather Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

The figure next to her, now known as Death, frowned.

"I hate that stupid name! And our Tom hasn't been able to properly explain why in the name of all things he had chosen _that_ name."

"I don't like it either. Though...if you think carefully, there _ is_ a cocktail in some universe called Death." Suddenly she started laughing at this and her companion soon followed.

"I know about it. It's delicious," he said, finally giving up his cloak's hood. "Hermione, you didn't answer my question. Why did you come? And how did you know to come?"

The girl took his hand and squeezed. "Because I am your friend and even Death needs someone. I know that from all the universes, this one's destruction has marked you the most." She let go of the hand and hugged him instead. "I also know it's the first one you've come after the then new Grimm Reaper recruits had asked why isn't a _Life_ entity of the council that governs over all universes in existence."

The man, Death, turned his head. "Yes, why isn't there? Why don't we have another companion? Why isn't there _Life_? Why just me? There are so many universes out there and before the Original Merlin didn't suggest recruiting from some of them, my Reapers and I were so understaffed. I took the souls of so many, Hermione."

Said Hermione, didn't quite know what to say, but she knew she _ had _to say something. She wished she'd realised his feelings on the matter sooner and that she had confronted him.

"We do not have a 'Life' member, an entity that symbolises that _because we all are life._" Hermione shook her head seeing he was going to interrupt her." Listen to me! We don't need an entity for life, we _are Life_! Don't you understand? Every member of the council is alive, full of life. Even you! Together, we live. I am sure the Reaper who asked you that back then, understands now. When you met me in my universe I was confused about many things as well. Now I feel everything is just as it should be. I know you're sad, but this world will survive and this Hogwarts will be full of life again. We rise from the ashes."

He looked at her in wonder. Now he understood.

"You...you are right. I suppose that is what my sister and brother tried to tell me all along. But I suppose someone as old as me is bound to become confused and lost at some point. Good thing I got you now." He hugged her tight."I'm very glad I found you, my friend."

Hermione smiled and tightened his hold on him as well. "I'm glad you found me too."

When they broke apart, they could see that the night was almost gone and that sunrise was upon them. "_Light after darkness_" Death mused.

"How did I manage before you were my friend, Hermione?" he said out loud. "You're my rising star friend."

The girl blushed.

"You lived," she quipped and he started laughing.

Maybe revisiting an old universe at the time he'd taken so many souls to eternal life hadn't been such a bad idea after all.


End file.
